Christine Roux

Christine Roux ( 1820 - December 3, 1863) was a French courtesan, artist's model and actress in the 19th century. She was well known in the bohemian, artistic, and literary scenes in Paris throughout the 1840s and until her death.

Literary connections Roux is believed to have been the inspiration for the character Musette in Henri Murger's novel Scènes de la vie de bohème, In addition, Champfleury was said to be the inspiration for "Musette's" fictional lover "Marcel" in Murger's novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème.

Art historian Helmut Gernsheim claimed Nadar's nude photo of Roux inspired the female figure in Ingres' 1856 painting La Source, alleging Ingres sent Roux to Nadar for studies that year.

The pose in Nadar's photo of Roux bears similarity to the nude Phryne in Jean-Léon Gérôme's 1861 painting Phryne Before the Areopagus. She was said to have been the model for this painting. Some sources suggest Roux may have previously modeled for Gérôme, providing the face of the Greek girl in his 1846 work The Cockfight. Contemporary writer Alexandre Schanne described Roux as "beautiful, positively beautiful."

Death In the evening of December 3, 1863, Christine Roux embarked on the steamship Atlas headed from Marseille to Algiers. During the night, the ship sank with 20 passengers and 26 crew members. Roux died in this tragic shipwreck.

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